If there is any place in Rome where Lent, with its atmosphere of penitential solitude mixes with the reawakening of spring, then it must be along this path which climbs up from the Circus Maximus towards the Aventine, on the top of which stands the Church of St. Sabina.

In God's name then let us go up to the holy mount. Is it not significant that the first Lenten mystery is celebrated on a mount, the Aventine? Already in pre-Christian days this hill was an asylum for refugees, a post of security. To St. Sabinaa martyr, converted to the faith by the prayers, fasts and example of her Christian servantwe entrust ourselves today. To her we have recourse in our sinfulness. She will present her martyrdom and her prayers to God on our behalf and obtain His blessing upon our Christian warfare, so that "we may be converted to God with our whole heart, in fasting and in weeping and in mourning, and rend our hearts and not our garments, and turn to the Lord, our God."

Let us pray: Grant, O Lord, to Thy faithful people that they may begin the venerable solemnities of fasting with becoming piety, and may persevere to the end with steadfast devotion. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

St. John Cantius, Chicago, is an extraordinary church. If you're in the area, and have the time, you will be so pleased to attend a mass there, whether Tridentine, or Novus Ordo. The NO mass has the inclusion of several rubrics from the Tridentine, and it is not your usual NO mass. At both masses, there are no altar girls, no Eucharistic ministers, no sign of peace, no bringing up of the collection, no Communion by hand. There *is* Gregorian chant/special choirs at a couple of the masses, and incense at a couple others, plenty of altar servers (of all ages), confession at *all* Sunday masses, before, after and during (and there are lines), and plenty of respect, respect, respect. The Canton Regulars, themselves, by and large are very slim (they either aren't fed or fast a lot:)), wear cassocks, and are joyful and helpful and walk about the church sometimes hurriedly to have it sparkling clean and beautiful for Our Lord.

9 posted on 02/17/2010 5:31:51 AM PST by mlizzy
("Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person" --Mother Teresa.)